Cyagen Biosciences

An outbreak of  COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease in 2019)  caused by the novel coronavirus, officially named  SARS-CoV-2 , swept across the world from Wuhan at the end of 2019 - having since brought a huge impact on the lives of people both in China and abroad. The World Health Organization’s (WHO) Emergency Committee declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak to be a Public Health Emergency of International Concern (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020. In order to effectively address COVID-19 as a public health threat, we need an in-depth understanding of its infection and immune mechanisms. Our experts have investigated the known characteristics of SARS-CoV-2, similarities to related coronaviruses, potential antiviral targets, and lessons learned from the outbreak from a research perspective – which we have assembled to assist in such research efforts. As we know, SARS-CoV uses angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE2) as a receptor for mediating cell entry and mainly infects epitheli...

Abstract :  To truly study the function and mechanisms of gene expression, simple over-expression or constitutive knockouts are not completely sufficient; particularly when embryonic lethality can occur. To over come these limitations and better understand gene function, inducible, conditional, spatial, and temporal gene expression can be achieved through a variety of approaches. From tissue specific promoters to recombinase ba'gene switches', many tools are available to control when, where, and how genes of interest are expressed. In the early days of engineered animal models, simple knockout and transgenic mice were used to examine gene function. Researchers began to dissect the roles of individual genes by studying phenotypes of mice lacking or overexpressing specific genes. However, constitutive knockouts and transgenics are not adequate for analyzing the function of many genes. For example, genes with important functions in adult animals may be embryonic lethal when...

Cyagen Biosciences would like to invite you to our Animal Models and VectorBuilder-Related Seminar at University of Surrey, UK on Feb 14, 2018. Presentation #1: Advanced Technologies For Rapid Generation Of Custom-Designed Animal Models Cyagen is the world’s leading provider of custom-designed transgenic mice and rats offering a one-stop solution to all your animal needs. To date, we have delivered over 16,000 animal models. In this seminar, Dr Matthew Wheeler will provide an overview of the current State-of-the-art as well as draw on my own experience to give an overview of our technologies including: PiggyBac transgenic mice and rats - Single copy transgene integration  TurboKnockout ® - Conditional KO/KI mice in 6-8 months  CRISPR -mediated genome editing – Knockouts/knockins (Up to 8Kb) Presentation #2: VectorBuilder - Revolutionising Vector Design and Custom Cloning VectorBuilder is a revolutionary new online tool that not only allows you to create your cust...

Although humans and mice are separated by 100 million years of evolution, mouse and rat models have continually proven themselves as extremely powerful research tools. Many mouse and rat genetic models can even recapitulate complex and seemingly uniquely human phenotypes. A great example are mouse models of autism spectrum disorders (ASD), which display many of the hallmark features of human ASD, including deficits in social communication and recognition, heightened anxiety, repetetive behavior, and hyperactivity. Recent work from several groups has taken advantage of ASD models to study autism and even develop potential treatments. Male-specific autism phenotypes in mice A striking feature of ASD is that more than 75% of diagnosed children are male. Although the reason for this sex-specific disparity is unknown, rodent models are beginningg to shed light on this aspect of the disorder. Using a contactin-associated protein-like 2 (Cntnap2) knockout mouse model for ASD, a group at th...

Cyagen Biosciences and VectorBuilder would like to invite you to stop by our show at MD Anderson Science Park in Smithville, TX on Jan 9, 2018. Our territory manager Dr. Heather Lundie will be present to answer any questions you might have about our mouse model generation services ,  vector construction services , virus packaging services , BAC modification services , or anything else at all including our free web based vector design platform, VectorBuilder.com. The event details are as follows: Tuesday, Jan 9 MD Anderson Science Park 1808 Park Rd 1C Smithville, TX 78957 As a special thank you to all those researchers who make events like this one possible, please enjoy $50 off your next purchase of vectors, virus packaging, and cloning services at VectorBuilder.com! Promo Code: 50EMAIL

Loss-of-function screening using shRNA libraries is a powerful way to identify genes involved in almost any biological process. Over the past decade, shRNA screens, both in vivo and in cell culture systems, have generated many important discoveries. Knockdown screening has become a go-to ‘workhorse’ method for lead identification and gene network studies across many fields of biology. Whole-genome knockdown libraries are frequently used, as well as smaller libraries targeting subsets of genes, such as specific pathways or key biological regulators. Here are a few examples of major shRNA screening discoveries from the past few years: Peroxisomes have a role in cholesterol transport It has long been known that cholesterol undergoes intracellular transport, but the mechanism underlying this process remained unknown. Chu et al. developed an amphotericin B-based assay for impaired LDL-transport, and used it in a genome-wide, lentivirus-based shRNA screen (1). They found that knockdown of...

The nervous system presents several unique challenges that make it a difficult system to study experimentally. At a structural level, the brain has a complexity that is orders of magnitude greater than other organs, and even the peripheral nervous system is profoundly complex. At a cellular level, neurons and accessory cells have extreme morphologies, physiological properties, and sensitivities that make them challenging to manipulate experimentally. In addition to these difficulties, the brain is also protected by the so-called blood-brain-barrier (BBB). The endothelial cells forming the vessels of the brain are highly selective in regulating passage into the cerebrospinal fluid, preventing the entry of viruses and bacteria, while regulating the transport of hormones, ions, drugs, and other molecules. The BBB hampers the effectiveness of many in vivo experimental techniques. For example, most drugs and viral vectors delivered into the blood cannot effectively cross the BBB and infi...